May 2025
CORNWALL GARDENS BULLETIN
Dear Cornwall Gardens Key Holder and/or Resident
Please find attached the Minutes of the Cornwall Gardens Management Committee Meetings of 5 March here and 7 May 2025 here and the corresponding Gardener’s Reports (May 2025 here) (February 2025 here), which you may find interesting. We highlight some of the items discussed at these Meetings below.
THE MOUND AND EASTERN BORDER, CENTRAL GARDEN
Please see Minute 5b of the Minutes of 7 May Meeting. You may recall pictures of the Mound in previous bulletins, before the new planting, consisting of barren soil. Most of the new planting is now in place and growing well with the benefit of improved soil, automated irrigation and attentive gardening. More of the Mound should be filled out as the plants continue to grow.
MIDDLE BED, CENTRAL GARDEN
Please see Minute 5d of 7 May Meeting. The Middle Bed is filling out nicely with refreshed planting.
NB The above photos were taken after a few days of much-needed rain in late May. This followed an exceptionally dry Spring, leaving many parks and gardens parched and irrigation systems struggling to cope, including ours.
MIDDLE GATE, CENTRAL GARDEN SOUTH SIDE
Please see Minute 5 of 7 May under “Gardener’s Report – Health & Safety”. This explains the problem with the Middle Gate opposite 73/74 Cornwall Gardens, requiring it to be decommissioned; and our efforts to get it repaired and recommissioned prior to Gardens Open Day on Saturday, 7 June. We recognise that it is hugely inconvenient for garden users in the meantime, and we apologise for this, but, for a Grade II listed Victorian iron gate, weighing in at over 200 kgs, we have to make sure that we find and appoint only an experienced contractor with the right equipment for a competitive price.
TREE SURVEY AND REPORT – THE NEXT STAGE
Please see Minute 7 “Trees” of 7 May Meeting. There were no comments received during the consultation or since. Tim George, our consultant tree surgeon, is completing an application to RBKC for permission to carry out the specified tree works later this year. You will have seen from the Tree Consultant’s Report we circulated in the previous bulletin that the works are for safety and/or maintenance purposes only.
COMMUNITY AND PRIVATE EVENTS
Private Events
If you wish to host a private event involving more than 10 attendees and/or borrow garden picnic equipment, please use the booking form attached (also found on our website cornwallgardens.org) or get in touch direct with the Secretary below.
Community Events
Poetry in Music, Choir of the 21st century at St Stephen’s Church, Gloucester Road/Southwell Gardens, SW7 4RL – Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 7.30 pm
The Choir of the 21st Century and their Secretary, Philippa Dodds John philippa.john@rllj.com mbl 07966 512555, will be delighted to welcome you to their next concert at St Stephen’s on Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 7.30 pm.
The concert features choral settings of poems by four of our greatest poets: George Herbert, Shakespeare, Milton and W H Auden. These poems inspired no fewer than eight composers in this varied and marvellous programme including Britten, Vaughan Williams, Walton, Sullivan and Stravinsky.
Full programme details are attached together with the flyer. Booking on Eventbrite is still open by clicking on the link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cc21-poetry-in-music-choral-settings-of-words-by-four-great-english-poets-tickets-1331707435789?aff=oddtdtcreator or using the QR code in the flyer.
Open Gardens Weekend, 7 and 8 June 2025
The Open Gardens Weekend, organised by The London Gardens Trust, will take place on 7 and 8 June 2025. The Central Garden of Cornwall Gardens will be open to members of the paying public on Saturday, 7 June 2025 from 10 am to 5 pm to enjoy the Central Garden. There may also be short private tours of the West and East Gardens for those small groups attending with a special interest. Refreshments will be on sale provided by Jakobs of Gloucester Road including a licensed pay bar. Live light music will be performed by a jazz band from The Royal College of Music. Key Holders and/or Cornwall Gardens Residents are admitted free of charge.
More details may be found, including obtaining access to other gardens participating in the weekend by following this link: https://londongardenstrust.org/log2025/gardens-list.html
The Taming of the Shrew, Central Garden, Cornwall Gardens, 25 June 2025 at 7 pm
This year’s performance from Shakespeare in the Squares is “The Taming of The Shrew” and will take place on Wednesday, 25 June 2025. The performance will begin at 7 pm and the Central Garden will be open for visitors’ picnics from 5.30 pm. Refreshments, including a licensed bar, will also be provided by Jakobs for those who wish to purchase them.
See flyer attached for more details.
You can also buy tickets following this link: https://SITS-shrew-cornwall.eventbrite.co.uk
Summer Garden Party, Cornwall Gardens, 10 July 2025
We are pleased to welcome back Toby Brown of tlc to host a Summer Garden Party of Pimms, Prosecco, soft drinks picnics and live music in the Central Garden for the evening of Thursday, 10 July 2025 starting at 6.30 pm. Entrance is free of charge to Cornwall Gardens Key Holders and/or Residents. Please see flyer here.
CHILDREN’S MOBILES, BIKES AND TOYS IN THE GARDENS
As can be seen from Minute 9 of the 7 May Meeting, we are delighted that four key holders with young children and toddlers in their care have volunteered to assist with the management of children’s mobiles, bikes and toys etc in the Gardens. This will help ensure that any garden-owned ones which are broken or unsafe are scrapped and replaced and also looked after properly and protected from the elements. The first delivery of replacement toys has already taken place.
BUILDING REPRESENTATIVES FORUM MEETING, WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE 2025 AT 7 PM IN F1, 74 CG
The Cornwall Gardens Building Representatives Forum Meeting will take place on Wednesday, 4 June 2025 at 7 pm in Flat 1, 74 Cornwall Gardens. The draft Agenda is attached and will also be sent by blind copy to those of you who are already a nominated representative for your Building.
If your building has yet to appoint a representative to be part of the Forum or you don’t know who your representative is or you would like to nominate yourself or a neighbour to be your representative, please contact the Secretary below.
With best wishes,
John Varley
Chairman, Cornwall Gardens Committee & Residents Association
07775 552050
Alan Lester
Secretary, Cornwall Gardens Committee & Residents Association
07816 324335
